M
Mossie
Hi, I’m Mossie and I’ve recently brought how a Chinese hamster (Friedrich Vogel Smol Boi Nietzsche, but goes by Smol Boi or Friedrich). He is my first Chinese hamster, but my fifth hamster overall.
In 2007, I had a gorgeous golden Syrian named Glücklich. Shortly before I said goodbye to her, I also had a small white dwarf hamster (no clue what breed) named Schneeflocke. Both of these girls make me feel a bit sad when I think about their enclosures and their overall quality of life. I really struggled bonding with Schneeflocke and, having done exponentially more research since knowing her, I really think the Habitrail Ovo cage may have played a large part of her discontent.
After those two, I took a long break from hamsters and kept mice for a bit. They were very sweet, but they weren’t hamsters.
In February of 2020, I convinced my then-boyfriend, now-husband, that a hamster would be a great addition to our flat and brought home a lovely black and white Syrian named Pfeffer. She taught me many hamster care lessons, starting with how if you’re bringing a hamster home on the bus, do not trust a cardboard box to contain said hamster! The box was in a bag and she made it home safely, but it was a very stressful ride! I also quickly learned from her that minimum standards aren’t always enough. My partner learned that I’m not above spending £50 on a cage and, within a week, deciding it needs to be upgraded because she’s chewing on the bars.
My care standards improved drastically with Pfeffer and she taught my partner how loveable hamsters are. Every morning we would sit on the couch opposite her cage whilst drinking coffee. Within a few minutes, she’d come out and reach her paws up as if to say, “Pick me up! Pick me up!” We’d have a bit of cuddle time and I figured she just did it because she always got treats when I returned her to her enclosure. A couple of times I started with the treats and she ignored them until she got her morning cuddles.
Most recently, was Laubchen, more often called Little Bear. She was a brown Syrian who looked like a small bear with a pink nose. She wasn’t as keen on the cuddles as Pfeffer, but she loved playing chase the fingers in her cage. I would put my index and middle finger down, almost like two legs, wiggle them, and she’d come running. She only did this for me, not my husband. She clearly knew that he was easier to get treats from; I’d make her work for them, but she just had to give him that look and there would be noms.
Now we have Friedrich. He’s only been living with us a week and a half and is still very shy, but so ridiculously cute!
I joined this forum a few days ago because he’s different enough from other hamsters that I’ve known that I wanted some advice from people with more Chinese hamster experience and I’m already feeling the benefit of the advice I’ve received. I’m looking forward to being part of the community!
In 2007, I had a gorgeous golden Syrian named Glücklich. Shortly before I said goodbye to her, I also had a small white dwarf hamster (no clue what breed) named Schneeflocke. Both of these girls make me feel a bit sad when I think about their enclosures and their overall quality of life. I really struggled bonding with Schneeflocke and, having done exponentially more research since knowing her, I really think the Habitrail Ovo cage may have played a large part of her discontent.
After those two, I took a long break from hamsters and kept mice for a bit. They were very sweet, but they weren’t hamsters.
In February of 2020, I convinced my then-boyfriend, now-husband, that a hamster would be a great addition to our flat and brought home a lovely black and white Syrian named Pfeffer. She taught me many hamster care lessons, starting with how if you’re bringing a hamster home on the bus, do not trust a cardboard box to contain said hamster! The box was in a bag and she made it home safely, but it was a very stressful ride! I also quickly learned from her that minimum standards aren’t always enough. My partner learned that I’m not above spending £50 on a cage and, within a week, deciding it needs to be upgraded because she’s chewing on the bars.
My care standards improved drastically with Pfeffer and she taught my partner how loveable hamsters are. Every morning we would sit on the couch opposite her cage whilst drinking coffee. Within a few minutes, she’d come out and reach her paws up as if to say, “Pick me up! Pick me up!” We’d have a bit of cuddle time and I figured she just did it because she always got treats when I returned her to her enclosure. A couple of times I started with the treats and she ignored them until she got her morning cuddles.
Most recently, was Laubchen, more often called Little Bear. She was a brown Syrian who looked like a small bear with a pink nose. She wasn’t as keen on the cuddles as Pfeffer, but she loved playing chase the fingers in her cage. I would put my index and middle finger down, almost like two legs, wiggle them, and she’d come running. She only did this for me, not my husband. She clearly knew that he was easier to get treats from; I’d make her work for them, but she just had to give him that look and there would be noms.
Now we have Friedrich. He’s only been living with us a week and a half and is still very shy, but so ridiculously cute!
I joined this forum a few days ago because he’s different enough from other hamsters that I’ve known that I wanted some advice from people with more Chinese hamster experience and I’m already feeling the benefit of the advice I’ve received. I’m looking forward to being part of the community!
It's amazing how different they all are with their own personalities isn't it? It sounds like it's n mainly been Syrians (I have a big soft spot for Syrians!) apart from Schneeflocke, who was almost certainly a hybrid russian dwarf hamster - if she was from a pet shop. That's a hybrid of winter white and campbells. The two species have been interbred unfortunately over the years, so there are not many pedigreee ones left and they'd be from a verified nhc breeder if they were - usually.
